It was a blustery night for the capital with gusts up to 120 kilometres per hour.
It's the same story for much of the rest of the country with strong wind watches stretching most of the South Island. Nelson Lakes and Buller are also under a heavy rain warning, as the wild weather continues.
The strong gusts felled trees and closed ski fields yesterday, with more disruptions likely today.
MetService's Hordur Thordarson spoke to Guyon Espiner.